SMALL TOWN MICHIGAN WIND A WINNER

Fact Finder: Wind Power; A closer look at how the TCLP turbine has performed
Diana Fairbanks, December 22, 2009 (NBC25 Connect MidMichigan)

"…Recently Traverse City Light and Power agreed to buy energy from a wind farm in McBain. A viewer wrote us asking how the wind turbine TCLP already has, right outside of Traverse City, has performed over the years…

"…[It was] the first utility grade wind turbine in the United States and it was put into service in 1996…[The M-72 turbine] cost of $650,000…[and] has brought in $1,030,000 over its lifetime…[W]hen the wind is really blowing it can power up to 110 homes…It was expected to put out 600 kilowatts of electricity and…[has done so] on a regular basis…"

click thru for a brochure about the TCLP wind turbine

"…[P]lanning studies showed the location two miles outside of Traverse City to be a good spot because of both its elevation and its proximity to TCLP, but…[current standards would call for] a little higher in elevation [like that if nearby McBain, Michigan]…"

Wind power is coming. (click to enlarge)

"…TCLP signed a 20 year contract to use power from 5 turbines [twice as potent as the Traverse City turbine] at Heritage Stoney Corners Wind Farm [in McBain] at the end of next year…That's 10 megawatts of energy.

"It's part of the effort by TCLP and all electric utilities in Michigan to meet a new state mandate of 10% renewable energy by 2015…Right now, even with the M-72 turbine, more than 99% of TCLP's energy is from coal generation…[But TCLP’s] longer term goal…[is] to go from 99% dependant on coal down to 60-70% by 2020…"